Vertical excavating arrangement

ABSTRACT

A continuous vertical the ground-excavating method which comprises driving a guide post vertically into the ground deeper than the predetermined depth of excavation so that said guide post can stand independently of excavation, fixing a lower earth loading mechanism to a desired part of said guide post by using slidable securing means, excavating the ground and placing the excavated earth onto said lower earth loading mechanism, carrying up the excavated earth vertically from said lower earth loading mechanism by a conveyor system comprising endless chains and conveying containers, and further carrying the earth along an upper horizontal earth discharging mechanism secured to the top end of said guide post so as to extend horizontally, lowering said lower earth loading mechanism by a distance equal to the depth of the ground excavated, then cutting the endless chains and adding complementary endless chains while mounting supplementary conveying containers, and repeating said steps the required number of times until the desired depth of excavation is reached, and an apparatus for carrying out said method. Of a plurality of chain wheels adapted to support and drive the endless chains, one driven by a prime mover provided at one end of said upper horizontal earth discharging mechanism is disposed on a truck having wheels so as to allow horizontal movement of said upper horizontal earth discharging mechanism for extension and shortening of the endless chains. A mechanism for holding the lower portions of the endless chains cut, after lowering the lower earth loading mechanism a given distance upon completion of an excavating operation, is mounted integrally on a support structure of said lower earth loading mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for continuously excavating the ground and continuously withdrawing the excavated earth to the ground surface in a vertical earth excavation and withdrawal work, particularly large-scale pit digging work, and an apparatus for practicing such a method.

2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Heretofore, bucket elevators have been prevalently used for vertically conveying dug-out earth to the ground surface in ground excavation work. In bucket elevators of this type a lower earth loading mechanism, a vertical conveying mechanism and an upper earth discharging mechanism are usually assembled into an integral structure with steel frames and other means, and the structure is installed at the site of excavation. In operation, the dug-out earth is first loaded into the lower earth loading mechanism, then continuously conveyed up to the ground surface by a series of buckets mounted at given intervals on circulating endless chains and thence discharged out through the upper earth discharging mechanism. If the ground excavation is carried out horizontally along a fixed depth, as in the case of underground railway construction or sewage construction, the conventional vertical conveyor system can be used for continuous operation without remodeling said system, but if the ground is dug down to a great depth as in the case of foundation works for a massive building or structure, the vertical conveying mechanism must be extended by adding to the lower portion thereof according to the depth and also the lower earth loading mechanism must be lowered accordingly. Such an adding or extending operation has been generally practiced in the following way: the vertical conveying mechanism is temporarily hoisted up and the lower earth loading mechanism is removed and placed at a separate location, and after effecting the desired addition to the vertical conveying mechanism, the lower earth loading mechanism is re-mounted thereto. Such an adding operation, however, requires a great deal of labor and also necessitates interruption of the excavation work for a long time, resulting in a huge increase in construction cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been devised in consideration of the defects in conventional excavation methods. According to this invention, the vertical conveying mechanism comprises a guide post which is driven into the ground deeper than the expected depth of excavation, so that there is no need of adding to the vertical conveying mechanism as in the conventional methods; also, since the lower earth loading mechanism is arranged to slide vertically along the vertical conveying mechanism which comprises said guide post, no demounting or re-mounting of said loading mechanism is required, and a desired extention of the conveying system can be attained by the mere addition of endless chains and the supplementary mounting of conveying containers. For effecting the addition of the endless chains, a chain holding mechanism is provided integrally on the support structure of the lower earth loading mechanism, so that such a chain adding operation can be accomplished easily and with safety. Thus, use of the method and apparatus according to this invention allows prosecution of the vertical earth excavating and conveying work at extremely high efficiency.

Thus, an object of this invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for excavating the ground and conveying the excavated earth in the vertical direction with a minimum number of steps and a short working time.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of said type which can be practiced with safety and without requiring any specific skill, and an apparatus for this purpose which is simple in structure and easy to operate.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a method and an apparatus of said type which can extremely shorten the interruption time in the excavating and conveying work, allowing almost continuous performance the working steps.

Other objects and advantageous features of this invention will be easily understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments of this invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described in detail hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing schematically the structural arrangement of the apparatus for carrying out the continuous vertical ground excavating and earth-conveying method according to this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing schematically the construction of the support structure for the earth loading mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3a is a side view showing a mode of mounting the slidable securing mechanism.

FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional view of said securing mechanism as taken along the line X--X of FIG. 3a.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing schematically the structural arrangement of the chain holding mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing schematically the structural arrangement of the upper earth discharging mechanism.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings, reference numeral 1 indicates the ground surface at the site of excavation. As the first step in the method of this invention, a cut-off wall 2 of a type conforming to the geological conditions of the site is built surrounding the site of excavation, said wall being substantially buried in the ground, so as to control spring water which springs out as the ground is dug down. At a position close to said cut-off wall 2, a guide post 3 is rammed down vertically such that the head portion thereof projects a suitable length above the ground surface. Said guide post 3 is driven into the ground deeper than the planned depth of excavation so that it can remain upright by itself when the excavation has reached the desired depth. In the embodiment shown, there are a pair of steel pipe piles 3', 3" provided with a plurality of bracings 3₁ as shown in FIG. 3 so as to provide sufficient buckling strength as discussed later. Any suitable method may be employed for effecting the pile driving, but in order to avoid excessive driving, it is recommended that first a vertical hole be dug by an earth auger or like means, and then the guide post 3, or an assembly of said two steel pipe piles 3', 3" be inserted vertically into said hole.

A hole is excavated around the guide post 3 by using an ordinary excavator, to a depth H₁ at which the lower earth loading mechanism 4 is to be set. This depth H₁ may be suitably determined depending on the height of the hopper 4₁ of the lower earth loading mechanism 4, on the type of the excavator used and other factors, but in the case of excavations carried out by this applicant, it was found that the most appropriate depth was about 8 m.

Then the lower earth loading mechanism 4, arranged to be guided vertically along the guide post 3, is set at the level 1₁ of the hole bottom at the depth H₁, and for this purpose, said earth loading mechanism 4 is slidably secured to the guide post 3 by using slidable securing mechanisms 5, 5'. Meanwhile, a support structure 6' is erected at the exposed peripheral portion of the previously built (buried) cut-off wall 2, and an upper earth discharging mechanism 6 is mounted horizontally such that it is supported by said support structure 6' and connected to the top end of the guide post 3. Then a conveying system, comprising a plurality of chains 7, a series of conveying container means (such as buckets) 8 and a plurality of chain wheels, is incorporated in the conveyor structure constituted by said lower earth loading mechanism 4, said guide post 3 and said upper earth discharging mechanism 6. Since the weight of the lower earth loading mechanism 4 is supported on the guide post 3 by the slidable securing means 5, 5', said loading mechanism can be properly set without specific foundation work even if the ground at the level of the hole bottom 1₁ is soft and irregular. Thus, the ground surface soil A is excavated by using a suitable excavator, and the excavated soil is brought into the hopper 4₁ as shown by arrow a. As the excavated level falls to B and then to C with the advancement of excavation, soil is put into the hopper 4₁ in the direction of arrow b and then arrow c, and in this way is completed the excavation and earth-removing operation from the level 1₁ reaching the surrounding cut-off wall 2.

The lower earth loading mechanism 4 is then raised up, in the manner described below, to a height sufficient to allow further excavation of the ground below; after securing said loading mechanism 4 to the guide post 3 by the slidable securing mechanisms 5, 5', the ground beneath said loading mechanism 4 is excavated to a depth H₂ in the same way as the first hole (H₁) was excavated, and said loading mechanism 4 is set at this level 1₂. The height of the temporary rise of the lower earth loading mechanism 4 and the depth H₂ of the second vertical hole may be suitably determined according to the type and performance of the excavator used, but according to the experience of this applicant, it was found appropriate to select 4 meters for the height of the temporary rise, and 6 meters for the depth H₂. The following embodiment of the invention is described on the basis of these figures.

The length of the chains to be extended out or drawn in, according to the vertical sliding movement of the lower earth loading mechanism 4 along the guide post 3, is adjusted by movement of a chain wheel 6₁ provided at a terminal end of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6. The terminal chain wheel 6₁, which is driven by a prime mover 6₂ to circulate the series of chains 7, is mounted on a truck 6₃ which is carried on rails 6₄ laid on the top surface of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6. The truck 6₃ is movable both to the right and to the left by a truck moving chain 6₈ passed round a chain wheel 6₆ arranged to be turned either forward or in reverse by a prime mover 6₅ secured to the left end of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6, and the truck moving chain 6₈ is mounted on another chain wheel 6₇ secured to the right end of said mechanism 6. Said truck 6₃ is positioned at substantially middle point D of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6 during normal conveying operation, but when the lower earth loading mechanism 4 rises up 4 meters from the initial set level, said truck 6₃ moves accordingly to the position E which is 4 meters to the left of the position D; when said loading mechanism 4 lowers down 6 meters from the initial level, said truck 6₃ now moves to the position F which is 6 meters to the right of the position D, thereby keeping a constant tension on the series of chains 7 to prevent the chains from being dislocated from their respective chain wheels. When the lower earth loading mechanism 4 is lowered down from the depth H₁ to H₂ and is set at the level 1₂, said loading mechanism 4 is secured in position by the slidable securing mechanisms 5, 5' and additional chains 7 and supplementary earth-conveying containers means 8 are provided for further excavation. In this operation, as further described below, the chains 7 are cut immediately above a chain holding mechanism 9, while the chains are held by said holding mechanism 9 at a scaffold 9' (for adding chains) disposed at a higher position than the supporting structure 4' of the lower earth loading mechanism. Then new chains, with a length of 6 meters corresponding to the depth of the ground to be further excavated, are joined to the upper portions of the respective cut chains 7. Then the truck 6₃, at the position F at the right end of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6, is moved left 6 meters to the position E, whereby the joined chains are raised up and the lower ends thereof just coincide with the upper ends of the lower portions of the respective cut chains 7, so that they can be easily connected to each other. During this lifting of the chains, the additional earth-conveying containers 8 are mounted. In this way, preparation for the next ground-excavating and earth-withdrawing operation is completed, and the above-said process is repeated. The process is repeated cyclically as many times as necessary, performing ground excavation to a depth of H₂ each time, until the desired total depth is reached. Since the guide post 3 is driven into the ground deeper than the planned depth of excavation, it maintains its secure standing condition even if the ground therearound is excavated. After completion of the excavation work, the guide post is pulled out and the other mechanisms are removed, and then the next construction work is carried out.

Now, the structural arrangement of the equipment used for this continuous vertical excavation method is described.

FIG. 2 shows schematically the setup of the supporting structure 4' of the lower earth loading mechanism 4. The supporting structure 4' is a steel frame structure comprising an upper slidable securing mechanism 5 and a floor frame 4₂ spaced vertically apart from each other and connected by diagonal and longitudinal members. Mounted on the floor frame 4₂ are a hopper 4₁, a screw feeder 4₃ and a plurality of chain wheels 4₄. Also, a lower slidable securing mechanism 5' is provided at the center the floor frame 4₂. It will also be seen that a scaffold 9' for the addition of chains, which will be further described later, is provided at the upper part of the supporting structure 4'.

Both said slidable securing mechanisms 5, 5' are the same in structure. As shown in FIGS. 3a and 3b, each said mechanism comprises a rectangular outer frame 5₁ provided with a plurality of guide shoes 5₂ so arranged as to slidingly attach to the outer peripheral surface of either of the steel pipe piles 3', 3" which constitute the guide post 3. In the side faces of said rectangular outer frame 5₁ are formed holes 5₃ corresponding to similar holes 3₂ formed at regular intervals in the steel pipe piles 3', 3". The holes 5₃ in the outer frame 5₁ and the holes 3₂ in the steel pipe piles 3', 3" are axially aligned with each other, and bolts 5₄ are passed therethrough. Thus, the lower earth loading mechanism 4 can be secured to the steel pipe piles 3', 3" at a desired height.

In the embodiment shown, in order to provide with strength, the guide post 3 is constituted by said two parallel steel pipe piles 3', 3" which are secured to each other by a plurality of bracings 3₁. As for the mode of adaption of said bracings 3₁, they may be mounted crosswise with their ends being bolted by utilizing the holes 3₂ in the steel pipe piles 3', 3", or other suitable fixing members may be used, but at any stage of working, the bracings at the location where the slidable securing mechanisms 5, 5' are secured to the steel pipe piles 3', 3" must be arranged so that they can be easily removed and easily remounted after properly moving the securing mechanisms 5, 5'. The configuration of the guide post 3 may be suitably changed in conformity with the design of the excavation work, and of course the configuration of the slidable securing mechanisms 5, 5' can be changed in correspondence with the changes of configuration of the guide post.

Vertical movement of the lower earth loading mechanism 4 along the guide post 3 may be effected by using a suitable hoisting machine such as a crane, but such movement can be accomplished more conveniently by adapting a simple hoisting means, such as chain blocks, by utilizing the holes 3₂ formed in the upper part of the guide post 3. It is also possible to effect vertical movement of said lower earth loading mechanism 4 in a total-system-like manner by moving the truck 6₃, which carries the upper earth discharging mechanism 6, by giving sufficient strength and driving force to said truck 6₃ and its prime mover 6₂ as well as to the chain wheels, chains and other associated means.

The chain holding mechanism 9 in the apparatus of this invention will now be described with particular reference to FIG. 4. Said chain holding mechanism 9 is incorporated in the scaffold 9' (for chain addition) having a cubic steel frame structure constructed in such a way as to encompass a plurality of chains 7 which are on the support 4' of the lower earth loading mechanism 4. The holding mechanism 9 comprises a plurality of threaded poles 9₁ disposed uprightly in opposition between the upper and lower steel frames, a pair of hangers 9₃ supported by nuts 9₂ engaged with said threaded poles 9₁ so as to be vertically slidable along said respective threaded poles 9₁, a pair of bearing rods 9₄ passed across said pair of hangers 9₃ and supported in half-circular recessions on the upper sides of said hangers, and locking bars 9₅ passed across said pair of bearing rods 9₄ and provided in equal numbers with the parallel chains 7. In the embodiment shown, are provided three assemblies of said chain holding mechanism corresponding to the three sets of vertical parallel chain groups. Cutting and adding of the chains 7 can be effected in the following way. First, the position of the hangers 9₃ is adjusted by turning the nuts 9₂, then each locking bar 9₅ is passed through a space in each chain link as shown, and then the nuts 9₂ are turned slightly upwardly, whereby the load of the chains positioned lower than the locking bars 9₅ is supported by the chain holding mechanism 9, while the chain portions located immediately above the locking bars 9₅ are greatly reduced in tension, allowing easy and safe removal of the chain pins. After completing the desired addition of the chains, the nuts 9₂ are now turned downwardly, whereby the load applied on the locking bars 9₅ is eliminated, allowing easy removal of said bars 9₅.

The structure of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6 will now be described with reference to FIG. 5. Said discharging mechanism 6 is mounted horizontally, while supported by the head end of the guide post 3 and the supporting structure 6' erected at the peripheral portion of the cutoff wall 2. The earth containers 8 which have risen up vertically along the guide post 3 are turned to move in a horizontal direction at the right end of the discharging mechanism 6, then turned around the terminal chain wheel 6₁ (which is driven by the prime mover 6₂ to move the chains 7) to dump the earth and further advance on the return stroke. Said terminal chain wheel 6₁ and said prime mover 6₂ are mounted on a truck 6₃ with wheel so that it can move sidewise on the rails 6₄ laid on the top surface of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6. At both the front and rear ends of said truck 6₃ is connected a chain 6₈ for moving said truck 6₃. Said chain 6₈ is passed round a chain wheel 6₆ which is driven forwardly or in reverse by a prime mover 6₅ secured to the left end of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6, and by a chain wheel 6₇ which is secured to the right end of said discharging mechanism 6. Thus, the truck 6₃ is allowed to move either to the right or to the left on the rails 6₄ with actuation of the prime mover 6₅. As described above, the truck 6₃ stays substantially at the central position D of the upper earth discharging mechanism 6 during the normal earth-conveying operation, but when the lower earth loading mechanism 4 is raised up for effecting excavation of the ground below said loading mechanism 4, said truck 6₃ is accordingly moved to the left. When the lower earth loading mechanism 4 is lowered upon completion of excavation of the ground therebelow, said truck 6₃ is now moved to its right end position. Also, when the chains are hoisted up and put under tension after completing the addition of the chains 7, the truck 6₃ is again moved to the left to its original position D. Below the earth discharging mechanism 6 are also provided a chute 6₉ and a belt conveyor 6₁₀ extending horizontally along the return path of the earth containers 8, thereby associating movement of the excavated earth dumping ground and also to receive the mud which remains on the containers and drops during their movement on the return stroke, this received mud being carried to the earth dumping ground.

As described above, the continuous ground-excavating and earth-conveying method and apparatus according to this invention are quite different from the conventional method and apparatus in which, upon excavation of the ground through a given depth, it is necessary to remove the lower earth loading mechanism, to add and extend the lower portion of the vertical earth conveying mechanism, and to re-assemble the respective mechanisms for performing the next excavating operation. According to the method and apparatus of this invention, first a guide post is driven into the ground deeper than the planned depth of excavation, said guide post being utilized as a part of the earth-conveying mechanism, and the excavation of the ground below the lower earth loading mechanism and the lowering of this mechanism with the advance of the excavation work can be accomplished without requiring any troublesome work, such as removal of the earth loading mechanism, but by merely sliding said mechanism vertically along the guide post. Also, addition of the chains can be effected easily, securely and safely by using a chain holding mechanism provided on the supporting structure of the lower earth loading mechanism. Further, extension or shortening of the chain length as required in accordance with vertical movement of the lower earth loading mechanism, or addition of chains, can be adjusted by merely changing the position of the truck which is moved through the medium of a chain wheel provided at one end of the upper earth discharging mechanism. It is thus possible to carry out the whole excavation process continuously and efficiently, affording a sizable reduction in work time and construction cost. This invention therefore can provide a vast improvement in large-scale vertical excavation work. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for continuously excavating ground and conveying excavated earth from the excavation site, comprising the steps of:a. driving a guide post vertically into the ground at the site of excavation, to a depth greater than the predetermined depth to be excavated, so that said post can remain standing independently of the excavation work, b. securing a lower earth loading mechanism to a desired first position on said guide post by using slidable securing means, c. excavating the ground and placing the excavated earth onto said lower earth loading mechanism, d. conveying vertically the earth placed on said lower earth loading mechanism, then conveying said earth horizontally by a horizontal earth discharging mechanism and a belt conveyor and dumping said earth from said belt conveyor to a predetermined dumping place on the ground surface, said operations being carried out by using a conveyor system comprising a plurality of endless chains extending vertically along the guide post and further extending horizontally along said upper earth discharging mechanism, a series of earth conveying containers being secured to said endless chains and a plurality of chain wheels being adapted to circulate said endless chains while supporting them, e. upon completion of a first excavation operation carried out with said lower earth loading mechanism at said first position on said guide post, lowering the lower earth loading mechanism to a second position along the guide post by a distance corresponding to the lowered level of the excavated ground, and then cutting the endless chains and adding supplementary chain to lengthen the endless chains while also mounting supplementary earth conveying containers to the endless chains, f. carrying out a second excavation operation at said second position along the guide post in the same manner as described in steps c and d above, g. lowering the lower earth loading mechanism to a lower position along the guide post, adding addition chain to the endless chains and mounting supplementary earth conveying containers to the endless chains in the same way as described in step e, and h. repeating the cycle defined by the above steps for accomplishing said ground excavation and earth conveyance until a desired depth of excavation is reached.
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises the steps of (e1) raising the lower earth moving mechanism and securing it to the guide post; (e2) cutting the endless chains; (e3) adding supplementary chain to the endless chains, (e4) mounting the supplementary earth conveying containers; and then (e5) lowering the earth loading mechanism to the lower level.
 3. A method as in claim 1 wherein said lower earth loading mechanism is disposed on a supporting structure, said supporting structure being supported on the guide post through a slidable securing mechanism which can be secured to any desired position along the length of said guide post, andwherein step (d) comprises the step of conveying earth horizontally by an upper horizontal earth discharging mechanism extending horizontally from the top end of the guide post to a place beyond the area of excavation.
 4. A method according to claim 1 wherein step (e) comprises the steps of:(1) moving a chain wheel provided along the conveyor of said upper horizontal earth discharging mechanism in a first horizontal direction on said earth discharging mechanism so as to lower the vertical portion of said endless chains, (2) cutting the endless chains, (3) moving said chain wheel in a second horizontal direction opposite to said first horizontal direction so as to vertically raise the cut endless chains, (4) inserting additional chain to reform the endless chains to a total length longer than they were originally, (5) adding additional earth conveying containers to the endless chain. 